Still, Bruno remained quiet.
“Well, I’m afraid I have a deadline,” he added. “A shipment coming in that you don’t know about.” It was his turn to laugh. “You know, if you’d had balls enough to kill a man, you wouldn’t be in this position. My win.” He started to stand, his arm firmly grasped around her.
Bruno flicked his gaze toward the back door. He was also giving me a sign. Maybe the kid wasn’t all bad after all.
I slowly turned my head toward Valentina. We had one shot at this, like it seemed we had with everything else.
Fuck the element of surprise.
“Now!” My voice shattered the tension in the room.
Every member of my team reacted as I’d hoped and as we’d planned. My sweet Valentina proved she was a little fighter, using her elbow to punch him in the gut, which loosened his grip. She flung herself away and against the wall.
But Jacob didn’t react like I thought he would. Instead of aiming his weapon at me, he twisted his body, firing off a single shot.
At Valentina.
“No!”
“No!”
The two shouts were dark and angry. One coming from me a split second before I fired off four shots at Jacob Jones, the Undertaker.
And the other?
Bruno as he threw himself in front of Valentina, taking the shot meant to kill her.
Gunfire sounded outside, but I could tell it was controlled. The plan had worked as I’d hoped.
Less than minute later, the eerie quiet was welcome this time. Chase had sent the DEA to the safehouse given we’d suspected what Jacob intended on doing.
“Valentina.” I rushed toward her, gingerly lifting Bruno away. He’d fallen face first after the shot had hit him in the back.
“No, Bruno. Oh, God.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper, the aching sob from seeing the man who’d fathered her child and had saved her life was lying in a pool of blood. She crouched over him, shaking her head.
“Val… en… tina. I’m… sorry.” His eyes were already dilated, blood seeping from under him.
“Don’t try to talk,” she told him.
I stood over them, uncertain what to say to her. Yes, I was thankful he’d saved her life. He’d done one decent thing in his miserable life.
His hand shaking, he reached out to her and she grasped his fingers. “I did… love… you. And Bella. Tell Bella…” As he started to wheeze, blood gushed from his mouth.
“I know,” she managed.
“That I love… her.” As he took the last breath, I moved toward Jacob, amazed he was still alive. After kicking the gun from his hand, I leaned down so only he could hear. “You were wrong about me, Jacob. A terrible mistake. I am a judge, but I’m also your jury and your executioner. See you in hell.”
I glanced down at her and she tried to smile, offering me comfort when that’s all I wanted to do for her. “Oh, baby.”
As I gathered her into my arms, I glanced at my other team members, thanking them silently. For doing this with me. For protecting her. For risking their own lives.
“I’m okay,” she muttered.
“Thank God.”
“Bella,” she whispered as she lifted her head.
“She’s safe, baby. We’re all safe.” I guided her from the room and through the house, leading her outside. There were police everywhere, members of DEA already roaming the property rounding up the remainder of Jacob’s men.
